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Partial letter from [Osiah A. Moser] to his daughter Rebecca, December 1, [186?] to December 2, [186?]

Missouri History Museum[no date]
Dec. 1st
It is nearly night, and I will write you a few lines, I am well to-day, We had quite an excitement a few hours ago, there were 3 secesh gun boats come up the river, and our batteries fired at them from the other side of the river, and they thought it best to retire, one of our gun boats went down to see what was the matter, but the excitement has subsided and all is going along as usual, they would have to bring a very large force to take this place, we have a good many large guns on the breast works, just think of a cannon, the hole of which is nearly large enough to let Pollys’ head. and then to hear the balls whistle when they fly thro’ the air. – Those gun boats are savage looking objects, they are so constructed that a cannon ball has no effect on them, they are covered over with thick sheet Iron, and when a ball strikes them it will glance.

Missouri History Museum[no date]
Dec. 1st
It is nearly night, and I will write you a few lines, I am well to-day, We had quite an excitement a few hours ago, there were 3 secesh gun boats come up the river, and our batteries fired at them from the other side of the river, and they thought it best to retire, one of our gun boats went down to see what was the matter, but the excitement has subsided and all is going along as usual, they would have to bring a very large force to take this place, we have a good many large guns on the breast works, just think of a cannon, the hole of which is nearly large enough to let Pollys’ head. and then to hear the balls whistle when they fly thro’ the air. – Those gun boats are savage looking objects, they are so constructed that a cannon ball has no effect on them, they are covered over with thick sheet Iron, and when a ball strikes them it will glance.